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I’ve been doing my fair share of spring cleaning in the past month, and my kitchen cupboard was not to be spared.

I tried to pull together a meal out of a few odds and ends I’ve had kicking around for quite a while to clear out my stockpile of ingredients and get the cabinets in some kind of order.

First up, some Dukkah (a mix of nuts and spices sold by Trader Joe’s); though this stuff is marketed for dipping bread, I never cared for the mix of spices, particularly the strong anise/fennel flavor, so it had been sitting in my cabinet until I decided to try another of the suggested uses–a nutty crust for fish or chicken. I mixed the Dukkah with a bit of flour to help it adhere.

 

Then my tilapia got a quick dunk in an egg wash and a good coating of the Dukkah mixture before going into a pan of sizzling olive oil until golden brown.

Had a little breakdown tranferring it out of the pan, but hey, it’s really taste that matters. While the filets were giving up their extra oil to a paper-towel bed, I set out to rehydrate some sun-dried tomatoes I found in the cabinet.

I buy the sun-dried tomatoes that are actually dry–rather than packed in oil–so I can snack on them, but it means if you want to use them in cooking they need to be either rehydrated or ground very fine and used more as a seasoning. I let these steep in a pan of boiling water seasoned with crushed garlic, lemon juice, and white wine. After about 10 minutes they had softened up and went into the food processor–voila sun-dried tomato relish. It was very intense to use the tomatoes this way, but my bf loves the flavor.

Some salted steamed green beans on the side and a little more of that white wine = best spring cleaning ever.

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Hipsterella is waiting for her prince.

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Just got in the May Birchbox, and once again I’m underwhelmed.
The highlights seem to be 3 MightyLeaf tea bags and a Beauty Protector Detangler and Heat Protectant spray. I’m not a fan of the tea flavors, but at least these two products have a decent sample size. Not so the sample vial of Folle de Joie perfume, or the itty bitty tubes of Supergoop CC cream (3ml) and Caudalie eye cream (1.5ml). Sigh.

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Something NYX always manages to make its way into my Ulta orders– ranging from $3-$20, I can count on NYX when I’m looking for a little extra treat to bump me up to free shipping. And I know that the quality will never disappoint.

NYX Love in Florence “Gelato for Two”, sun

NYX Love in Florence “Gelato for Two”, indoor lighting

If “Gelato fo Two” is any indication, the recently-released NYX Love in Florence palettes are no exception. These 5-color eye palettes retail for $8, but you can usually find a deal at ulta.com or cherryculture.com. The fairly-sturdy, plastic palettes have a well with a small sponge-tip applicator, and feature NYX’s signature bow design at the clasp. They come in 10 different color collections ranging from neutrals to brights,  most of which feature a mix of matte and shimmer shades.

The soft but springy colors of “Gelato for Two” immediately caught my eye. The palette features two mattes: a soft, cool grey which works well to define the crease; and a pale pinky-mauve which I use to blend the edges of a look.

“Gelato for Two” swatches (over primer), shade

The palette also boasts a deep, royal purple which works well for lining the lashline, and can give a look some smoky drama when used to darken the outer V; this shade has some glittery bits in it, but the base product seems to have a satin finish. The remaining two shades have a definite shimmer finish: a peachy golden champagne that surprised me in this cool-toned collection, but which is lovely as an all-over lid color and coordinates well with the last shade–a shimmery taupe, which appeared to have a soft brown hue  until I saw it flash in the sun, and a lovely violet duochrome effect appeared.

“Gelato for Two” swatches (over primer), sun

The duochrome is subtle, but the brown/violet shift marries the warm and cool elements of the palette perfectly, and makes this quad wearable for many skintones.

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Having worked my way through my April Birchbox, I have some thoughts to share on the products I sampled.

LAFCO House & Home Soap

I don’t know that I would shell out $17 for a the full size of this, but it seemed like a nice soap. Unfortunately I didn’t care for the rather herbal scent of the sample (in Fleur de Baies).

Joanna Vargas Daily Serum

For skin care–especially a serum–one should really use the product regularly for 4-6 weeks to get a full sense of its efficacy. I didn’t really notice any difference after using the sample I received, but then I wasn’t able to use it for very long. However, given the price tag ($85 for 1 fl. oz.), I don’t think I would try my luck after the sample’s lack of results.

Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-on

Actually got a full-size of this drugstore product in the box. I think for any product like this, the cooling effect of the metal ball helps to depuff the eyes a bit–but so would a chilled spoon or something of the sort. I think the formula is moisturizing, but I don’t think it actively depuffs my eyes when I haven’t had enough sleep. I have tried the Clinique All About Eyes De-Puffing Massage (a similar product), and I think it was a bit more effective. Given the affordability of this product ($11), it might be worth a try if you haven’t, but I think I’d look into other drugstore versions (Garnier perhaps), before I repurchased this one.

Mirenesse Glossy Kiss

This is an Australian company, whose products I haven’t tried before. I believe the sample of this may have been full-size as well, but unfortunately does not have the twist up design of the full-size, but requires a sharpener.  I got this is Quick Kiss (classic pink), which is pretty, if a little boring. It would probably suit a lot of different skin tones, but most people likely have a shade like this already. I’m actually pretty jealous that some people got the coral shade in their box. As far as the formula goes, I found it a bit drying; this might be an ok trade-off if it lasted really well, but it doesn’t. It also felt a little heavy and waxy on the lips–just a little, but still.

There are so many of these jumbo lip pencils out now, and this one is quite pricey: $27 for the full size, which not only triples the price of drugstore versions, but even outstrips most high-end versions. Compare it to NARS Velvet Lip Pencils ($25), tarte Lipsurgence ($24), Urban Decay Super-Saturated High Gloss Lipcolor ($19), or Clinique Chubby Sticks ($16). If you are interested in trying the jumbo lip pencils, I think there are some many options that are both cheaper and higher quality.

Kérastase Age Premium Bain Substantif – Cleanse

This lathered well, seemed nice while I was using it, but didn’t do anything special for my hair. Given the price, I don’t think I’d purchase.

So much for the product. But frankly, I was pretty upset at receiving this packette sample in my Birchbox. Okay, to be air, it was 2 packettes, but really, the service promises 5 deluxe samples, and this wasn’t nearly enough product to deserve that name. I could walk into Sephora any day of the week and get the same size sample without even purchasing anything.

So another Birchbox has come and gone, and I have to say that, yet again, I was a bit disappointed. The products weren’t bad, but in general they’re not products I would have chosen to try, and opening up the box was a deflating experience. On top of that, I’m really beginning to feel that it’s simply not worth the money. I’m paying for samples that would come free with other purchases, and most of them are products I don’t even want to try. I’ve just gotten the shipping notification for my May box, but I think after that I am going to cancel my subscription.

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As many of you know, I recently underwent a harrowing laptop replacement procedure (which necessitated the excision of a large chunk of my bank account)–a trauma that was painful and will demand a long recovery time. (If you don’t know about this, you can watch my vlog on the subject here.)

Luckily, I had accumulated a fair rebate on drugstore.com/beauty.com, so I was still able to get a nice summer treat.

Enter NARS Gilda.

Love this. Love it. I’ve had my eye on this blush for quite some time. I’ve been obsessed with these bright coral-orange-peach-apricot-sherbet-papaya type colors, and have been looking for the right one–not too pink, with a little orange, but not too orange. Gilda is a lovely blend of all the right brights for summer.

A few months back, I was bowled over by photos I saw of “Frivole”, Chanel’s new Joues Contraste for Spring, but a little stressed by the pricetag. I remember standing in Nordstrom, staring at the swatch on my hand with longing, but paralyzed as to what to do. In desperation, I began to prowl the beauty counters, trying to reassure myself that Frivole was indeed unique enough to warrant dropping $43, when I came across Gilda at the NARS counter, and I was blown away. The colors were extremely similar–Frivole is a bit more orange, but when sheered out on the cheeks, they look basically the same.

So I opted to save a little money (premonition of my impending laptop doom, perhaps?), and put the NARS blush on my wishlist. When it came time to use my drugstore.com dollars, I pounced. Since I got the blush, I’ve been wearing it nonstop. It brightens up the face, but blends so smoothly that it looks extremely natural. The velvety matte finish helps the color look soft and diffused on the skin, but the product is still very pigmented and can be built up. In addition, this shade is particularly flattering for warm complexions. I’m think that as I get a little tan over the summer I’ll be able to continue wearing this blush, and it will continue to look gorgeous.

NARS Gilda, sun

NARS Gilda, shade

The texture, wear-time, and overall quality are what you’d expect from NARS – excellent. So glad I picked this up. Though my beloved Tarte blushes still hold the place of honor in my makeup stash, Gilda may just be my favorite summer blush.

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The Smashbox Be Legendary Lipstick Palette ($39 at smashbox.com, yet somehow $19 at ulta.com) is a compact palette of 8 Be Legendary Lipstick shades:

• Posy Pink (warm blush pink)
• Melondrama (coral peach)
• Pink Petal (bright bubblegum pink)
• Cognac (warm raisin)
• Primrose (warm dusty rose)
• Fig (rich claret)
• Honey (warm nutmeg)
• Infrared Matte (bright blue-based red)

 

As the name suggests, the red shade is matte, while the rest have a cream finish with a slight sheen. The palette is a sliding double-decker design, with four shades on each level. It also features a full-size mirror in the lid, and a well in the top-level for an included travel-size lip brush. The brush is not great quality, but is certainly usable–esp. for touchups throughout the day. One of the great things about this lipstick palette is that it is compact enough to throw in your purse (approx. 4.5 x 2 x .75 in.), and the shiny black plastic compact closes securely and seems relatively sturdy. I wouldn’t go kicking it around, but I’m not concerned about it popping open or snapping apart if I take it around in my purse or tuck it in a travel bag.

And the travel element is really what I think makes this a standout product. For ages now I’ve been looking for a way to solve my travel-lippy conundrum–how to have a nice variety of lip colors available without loading up my travel bag with lots of bulky lipstick tubes. Maybe that seems silly, but just take a moment and think about how much space 8 tubes of lipstick would take up; that’s practially my whole makeup bag.  I’ve looked into several lipstick palettes, but found that in general either they were too bulky as well, or they didn’t offer a good color selection, having either too many similar shades or too many shades that I didn’t think I would wear. This Smashbox palette scores on both fronts; not only is the design of the palette very smart, the colors inside are all versatile, and wearable, while still having excellent variety. I’m not much of a red lip person, so Fig and Infrared might not get that much use from me, but it’s nice to have the option of drama; all of the other shades, however, I could see myself wearing on a daily basis. With the exception of Pink Petal, the non-reds in the palette are soft enough to be office appropriate, but don’t merge into an homogenous spectrum of blah neutrals; the shades are each very distinct, and include a good mix of undertones to go with different looks and different skintones.

I have to admit to being more excited by the design of the palette than the actual product formula, but that doesn’t mean that the formula is not good. While it doesn’t blow me away, I have no real criticisms, and my reaction is mostly based on personal preference. The lipsticks have an unusual consistency–somwhere between a lipstick and a tint. They have a thin feeling, which makes them very lightweight but also doesn’t allow for a very emollient feel on the lips. They are definitely not moisturizing, but I don’t find them drying either. In general, I prefer a lip product that gives some hydration to my naturally dry lips; I like to be able to rub my lips together and feel the slickness of the lip product, and these certainly don’t allow for that. However, for a lightweight product they have impressive lasting power–3 or 4 hours if I’m not eating or drinking, and the darker shades even leave behind a noticeable stain that lasts even longer. The formula is semi-sheer, and the natural lip does show through, however the product is still extremely pigmented and can be built up to increase coverage and provide truly intense color.

I can’t explain the price difference between Ulta ($19)  and the Smashbox site ($39). $39 is, in my opinion, a bit much for this product, but it is actually closer to what I would expect, given the usual price-point of Smashbox products. $19 for this product, on the other hand, is what I would call a steal. Frankly, I’m surprised I haven’t heard more about it on the beauty blogosphere, but I’m very pleased to have come across it–my hours of procrastination window-shopping various beauty sites pays off–and I wanted to share it with you all.

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Playing off a look recently posted by Marlena (Makeup Geek), found here. I like it for this time of year because the bright pinks scream spring but the frosty silver holds onto that last bit of fall/winter feel.

On face:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Full-Coverage Foundation (mix of Fair and Light)

MAC Pro-Longwear Concealer (NC15)

MAC Eyebrows (Stud)

Milani Baked Blush (Luminoso)

Tarte Glowlight Amazonian Clay Luminizing Wand

On Lips:

L’Oréal Colour Caresse Lipstick (Rose Taffeta)

On eyes:

Urban Decay “Tease” (to define crease, applied before lid shade)

Lancome Color Design “Silver Shines” (all over lid, into lower crease–You could also do this part with the silver shade from “Oz” if you wanted to stick with the Glinda palette, but I wanted something less glittery.)

Urban Decay Glinda Oz Palette “South” (lid, outer and inner corners)

UD Glinda Oz Palette “Magic” (to blend out upper crease)

UD Glinda Oz Palette “Aura” (lighter shade as inner corner highlight)

UD 24/7 Liner “Rockstar” (upper and lower lashline)

Unfortunately, my allergies have already gotten to the outer corners. Curse watery eyes!

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Yet again, I revisit my freshman year of college; I really feel like a time traveller, picking up books I last read when I was 18, recognizing how much my outlook on life has changed. One thing I notice is that as I age, though in some ways I’ve gotten more set in my ways, intellectually I’ve become much more open-minded. As a young adult, I was so certain of what I liked and didn’t like; now, I’m able to see the potential in so many things I would have too easily dismissed.

Now Ovid I actually enjoyed reading as a freshman. I’ve always had a soft spot for mythology; the flawed but psychologically complex gods and demigods of classical antiquity were, to my mind, much more fascinating ways of conceiving the divine than my own childhood religion’s depiction of a perfect and omnipotent, yet abstract and aloof, being. And Ovid is a particularly exciting combination of these theological themes with the magical aspects of mythology that undergird most of today’s fantasy fiction.

As the title suggests, Ovid’s Metamorphoses is a work of carefully woven myths all centering around the theme of transformation, both literal and figurative. It collects the stories of humans transformed into animals, plants, geological or celestial formations, or into gods and demigods. But the stories also lead us to reflect on how the characters can be “transformed” by passion, greed, anger, hate, devotion, or love.

At the same time, Ovid exempts neither himself nor his reader from the effects of these transformations. One of the work’s most memorable moments is the opening verse: “My mind leads me to speak now of forms changed into new bodies: O gods above, inspire this undertaking (which you’ve changed as well) and guide my poem in its epic sweep from the world’s beginning to the present day.” Ovid reflects on history, and the way in which civilizations and societies transform themselves over time. But he also reminds us of how he as an individual and his purposes in writing his opus had changed. When he got to the end of his book, he had a different perspective on it, and it meant something different to him, than when he began. And I thought, isn’t that the way that literature should work. It should change us, transform us as we work our way through it, so that by the end it means something different for us than it did when we started out, because it has helped us to see and to think differently.

In the end, Ovid’s text poses a question which it only begins to answer, and leaves the rest for us to try to answer for ourselves: What kinds of metamorphoses are human beings capable of undergoing, and when the change is complete, will it be a change for the better?

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Passed the MAC counter in Nordstrom today and was drawn to the In Extra Dimension display. I told myself I was going to skip this one–suffering from empty wallet syndrome at the moment–but I thought, no harm in swatching, right? Right?

I underestimated the fantastic quality of this collection. Honestly, the colors are gorgeous and the formula is fab. I purchased MAC’s Extra Dimension Skinfinish in Superb when it came out with the Glamour Daze collection (Holiday 2012) because I was so in love with the color, but I found the formula a little dry and expected the new Extra Dimension releases to be the same. Nope. The texture of these new ones seems amazing–smooth and buttery, with amazing pigmentation.

I was most drawn to the Skin Finishes, but I was also struck by how unique and impressive I found the eyeshadow in “Opalesse”

MAC Extra Dimension Skin Finish in “Shape the Future” (top left) and “Definitely Defined” (bottom right); MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in “Opalesse” (top right), in sunlight

The texture and pigmentation of all of these seemed top notch, and the opalescent effect of the shadow–shifting from whitish frost, to pink, to purple, depending on the light–was really stunning. The photo I took in the shade shows the full intensity of those iridescent flashes.

MAC Extra Dimension Skin Finish in “Shape the Future” (top left) and “Definitely Defined” (bottom right); MAC Extra Dimension Eyeshadow in “Opalesse” (top right), in shade

In the end, I exercise at least some self-restraint. I really wanted both Skin Finishes (Double Definition is too dark for me, or I would have wanted that one too), but I had to admit that “Definitely Defined” is less unique, and similar to products I already have. The lighter side reminds me of a frostier version of Benefit’s High Beam (and its myriad dupes), while the darker side seems similar to my Elizabeth Arden Rose Illumination Highlighter. It’s absolutely stunning, by the way, so if I didn’t have the EA, I would buy this for the darker side alone. But I don’t think I would get as much use from the lighter side–it’s so frosty that, unless you are extremely pale, the effect will be very dramatic. I prefer a more subtle highlight. It would look lovely on the eyes as an inner corner highlight, but I have enough such shades.

So I contented myself with “Shape the Future” and “Opalesse”–reviews coming after I have the chance to try them out!